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LOT 0672
Roman Fresco Wall Plaster Collection
1ST CENTURY A.D.
3 - 4 1/2 in. (967 grams total, 7.7-11.5 cm).
Fragments of wall plaster with rendered surface painted with mainly red, pale blue and white detailing; some with impression of timber laths to the reverse. [5, No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired in the 19th century.
Ex Jeger collection, Switzerland.
UK gallery, early 2000s.
Cf. Hakanen, V., 'VI Wall Plaster Fragments' in Berg, R., Kuivalainen, I., Domus Pompeiana M. Lucretii, IX,3, 5.24, The inscriptions, Works of Art and Finds from the Old and New Excavations, Vantaa, 2019, pp.196-224, figs.3-4.
FootnotesThese small fragments, for analogies with the fragments of Pompeii, seem to belong to the second style of Roman painting, red panels representing highlight and shadow, decorated with vegetal interlaces. Some panels were probably framed by a red grenade fillet. A fragment shows alternate blue and red colour over a cream background, maybe pertinent to a socle.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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Roman Amethyst Necklace with Gold and Garnet Pendants
1st-3rd century A.D.Estimate: £4,000 - 6,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £2,000
Restrung group of graduated biconical amethyst beads with gold interstitial beads with granulation detailing, three crescent pendants, each with a cabochon gemstone to each of the finials. 51 grams, 52 cm
Ambassador Carlo Perrone-Capano, former Italian Ambassador to Damascus, assembled largely during his tenure in Damascus in the 1960s; later resident near Grantham, where he spent his later life. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13123-248087. -
Roman and Byzantine Bronze Artefact Collection
3rd-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £85
Comprising of a large bow brooch, small brooch formed as a bird with folded wings and wide expanding tail, two buckle plates with stylized zoomorphic creature. 43 grams total, 32-91 mm
From the stock of a former UK antiquarian, acquired at trade fairs and from private collection formed in the 1980s-1990s. Private collection, Europe. -
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Roman Marble Head of Eros, the Greek God of Love
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,000
Carved in the half-round with undercuts to the curly hair, fleshy facial features; attachment ring to reverse. 2.02 kg, 17.5 cm
Acquired on the French art market, 13 November 2022. Private collection, England. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13086-249672.
The finely sculpted head represents a young child, probably intended as Eros (Cupid). Such depictions were produced in numerous variations to illustrate the stages of childhood and the capacity of children to undertake meaningful or symbolic actions. The softly modelled features and gentle expression recall the celebrated work of Boethos', The Boy Strangling the Goose, as well as the widespread images of Eros and the Erotes found throughout Graeco-Roman sculpture and painting. In Graeco-Roman art, representations of children occupied an important and evolving role. Initially, youthful figures were portrayed as miniature adults, but from the 4th century BC onwards - particularly during the Hellenistic and Roman periods - artists began to study children’s anatomy more closely, reproducing their characteristic proportions and expressions with naturalistic sensitivity. The figure of Eros, the constant companion of Aphrodite, became the quintessential model of the child in ancient art, identifiable by his traditional attributes of wings and bow. As evidenced by numerous statuettes and wall paintings unearthed at Pompeii, scenes of childhood were among the most popular subjects for adorning the gardens and interiors of wealthy Roman villas. These figures appear in lively and varied activities - playing, working, performing, or interacting with animals such as birds, hares, and dolphins - celebrating both the charm and vitality of early life within an idealised artistic vision.
